Today I would like to talk about something I noticed happening to me over the past few years or so. As we hurdle over obstacles in our lives, sometimes when we feel overwhelmed we take the time to take stock of what the heck is slowing us down. Is it our environment or is it us? Then we proceed to make changes. When we take a closer look at those self induced obstacles, we may find a nasty little emotion called “fear”. Now I’ve said time and again that I’m a warrior and I don’t shy from confrontation, especially when I need to confront myself, so this fear thing has really become one hell of an opponent. I’ve found that I have acquired fears from my past experiences.
For example: you may have been driving down a street one day, trying to take a short cut and ended up getting into a car accident. Naturally that street or any similar instances may bring up bad memories, but what if in your attempt to keep this terrible experience from happening again, you just stop taking short cuts in your car altogether. You turn into a main road driver and would rather wait in traffic than get off the main route?
This may be an extreme example, then again it may be right on point. Here is one from my own personal experience.
Eys example: One day, while I was young and spry, I quit my job without having another one lined up. I was in a situation that I just couldn’t tolerate (we already know I have a low threshold for stupidity), so I left, dignity and sanity intact. A few days later I got another job, in my area of expertise (at that time) and never looked back.
This example had a positive ending. However, I always tell myself that I’d never do it again. That it was just a fluke and the stars couldn’t possibly line up for me again like that. At the time I didn’t put that much analysis in it. I just knew that I was in a crappy situation and I needed out. I also knew that I was resilient and that I would bounce back. But now I’m at a point where I should probably be doing the same thing again, that I should be looking out for MY best interests and give a crap about my mental well being a little more.
In both examples, fear of the unknown has been the obstacle keeping them (us) from moving forward. The situations may have been different, but fear and lack of faith are glaringly obvious issues. Should the person in example one be able to get over that accident (with the help of counseling maybe) and not let one incident disrupt the ease at which they move through life? Should Eys have the same kind of faith in herself now as she did back then and make moves like she knows she’s capable of? Even though her(my) example was a positive, why cant she draw from it the strengthening themes to help her move forward? Why is it easier to believe that an accident can happen twice in the same way, than it is to believe in ourselves and our ability to persevere?
munch on that for awhile and holla back, these aren’t rhetorical questions…
For example: you may have been driving down a street one day, trying to take a short cut and ended up getting into a car accident. Naturally that street or any similar instances may bring up bad memories, but what if in your attempt to keep this terrible experience from happening again, you just stop taking short cuts in your car altogether. You turn into a main road driver and would rather wait in traffic than get off the main route?
This may be an extreme example, then again it may be right on point. Here is one from my own personal experience.
Eys example: One day, while I was young and spry, I quit my job without having another one lined up. I was in a situation that I just couldn’t tolerate (we already know I have a low threshold for stupidity), so I left, dignity and sanity intact. A few days later I got another job, in my area of expertise (at that time) and never looked back.
This example had a positive ending. However, I always tell myself that I’d never do it again. That it was just a fluke and the stars couldn’t possibly line up for me again like that. At the time I didn’t put that much analysis in it. I just knew that I was in a crappy situation and I needed out. I also knew that I was resilient and that I would bounce back. But now I’m at a point where I should probably be doing the same thing again, that I should be looking out for MY best interests and give a crap about my mental well being a little more.
In both examples, fear of the unknown has been the obstacle keeping them (us) from moving forward. The situations may have been different, but fear and lack of faith are glaringly obvious issues. Should the person in example one be able to get over that accident (with the help of counseling maybe) and not let one incident disrupt the ease at which they move through life? Should Eys have the same kind of faith in herself now as she did back then and make moves like she knows she’s capable of? Even though her(my) example was a positive, why cant she draw from it the strengthening themes to help her move forward? Why is it easier to believe that an accident can happen twice in the same way, than it is to believe in ourselves and our ability to persevere?
munch on that for awhile and holla back, these aren’t rhetorical questions…
1 comment(s) thus far...:
I think your title intimates that as we get older our fear grows.
Well, this is only natural.
As we get older, there is less time to make up mistakes.
Sometimes, we should carry the innocence of a child, though. Maybe we would all be more successful.
I believe the biggest risk comes from not taking that risk.
I.e., opportunity cost.
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